Snow White and the General
by CaseyBear1987
Summary: When the Queen of Mars remarries, Princess Rei finds herself trying to get along with a stepsister who wants nothing to do with her. After she is faced with a dangerous threat, Rei flees to Earth and finds herself in the care of the Prince and his Generals. Based on Snow White.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I hope you all like this story! I got the idea to do a twist on Snow White, featuring none other than Rei and Jadeite, of course. I promise other chapters will be longer. I really struggled with this one, but I like how it turned out. I hope you do as well!**

"Princess Rei?" The young woman who was being addressed cringed slightly and turned, managing a shy smile.

"Please, just call me Rei. I don't care for labels" she said softly, smoothing her long dark hair away from her face.

"My apologies, miss. I was asked to inform you that your mother and stepfather have returned." The young woman nodded, turning her gaze to the floor. Her attendant bit her lip slightly before speaking again. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all…" Rei's voice trailed off slightly, her eyes still burning imaginary holes into the floor. A moment later, her attendant was at her side, her hand resting comfortingly on her shoulder.

"I know this will be hard to get used to, but you will. You're strong enough" the woman assured her, giving her a gentle smile. Rei returned the smile and stood up from her bed, smoothing out her long red dress and shakily fixing her hair. This would be her first time meeting her mother's new husband, and her new stepsister. Up until this moment, her mother had been the sole ruler of the kingdom, and Rei the only heiress. Rei couldn't stand change, but put on a brave face for the sake of everyone involved. She took a few long, deep breaths before turning to her attendant, her violet eyes brimming with anxiety.

"Are you sure it will be alright?" she asked. The woman chuckled and stood up on her toes to kiss Rei's forehead gently.

"Would I lie to you?" she asked, laughter still lacing her voice. Rei chuckled and shook her head softly.

"Of course you wouldn't, Esther. I trust you more than anyone" she said softly. The two of them continued their casual conversation as Esther finished helping Rei get ready. Before they left the room to greet the new King and Princess, Esther squeezed Rei's hand softly, assuring her once again that everything would be alright.

When the two of them entered the throne room, Rei's eyes were instantly met with a pair of sparkling green ones. This must be her new sister, she thought. She was quite beautiful, with dark red hair that fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and eyes that reminded Rei of emeralds. She smiled softly at the woman, who looked to be about her age, and was taken aback when she did not return the gesture. Before Rei could think too much about it, she was engulfed in her mother's arms.

"I missed you" the woman whispered, running her fingers through Rei's raven hair that matched her own. Rei returned her embrace, keeping half an eye on the aloof red haired woman. After a moment, her mother let go of her and took her hand, leading her to the two strangers in the room. "I'd like you to meet your stepfather, Henry, and his daughter, Sakura. Rei bowed slightly and smiled politely.

"It's an honor to meet you both" she said softly. Henry smiled back at her, but Sakura's face remained blank and cold.

"It's an honor to meet you as well, Princess Rei" Henry said, turning his gaze to his daughter, waiting for her to speak. After a moment, he subtly nudged her. She shot him a look before turning back to Rei, forcing a smile.

"It's nice to meet you" she muttered. The room became flooded with an awkward silence, and Henry quickly cleared his throat to fill the void.

"Well, we'll leave you two to get acquainted…" he said, looking to his wife for help. She nodded in agreement.

"That sounds like a good idea. Rei, why don't you show Sakura to her room? It's the one across from yours. Rei nodded and turned to the young woman.

"Please, follow me" she said sweetly, gracefully walking out of the room. Sakura followed her, her body language almost the exact opposite of Rei's. Esther stayed behind to speak with the King and Queen for a moment, keeping half an eye on the two princesses until she could no longer see them. She had noticed the animosity Sakura had exuded towards Rei, but thought maybe she was just nervous, being in a new place.

The walk to Sakura's room seemed to take much longer than it should have. Rei kept wanting to speak to her, to break the silence, but felt that doing so would only make things worse. She brushed the thought from her mind when they finally reached Sakura's bedroom.

"Here you are" Rei said sweetly, her voice soft. "I hope you'll find this to your liking." Instead of thanking Rei, the words that escaped Sakura's mouth shook her to her core.

"It isn't fair" she spat. "I was supposed to be the next queen, but my stupid father had to get married and ruin everything." Before Rei could say anything, Sakura stormed into her room and slammed the door behind her. Rei stood in front of the door, stunned, before deciding to go into the kitchen and make some tea to calm her nerves. After the tea was finished brewing, she poured herself a cup and took it to her room. She decided to read something to pass the time, and pulled a book of fairy tales off the shelf. She laid on her bed, sipping her tea and began to read to herself.

"Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess named Snow White. She was beloved by all who knew her, except for her stepmother, the queen. She was jealous of Snow White and hated her…this is way too familiar" she sighed and closed the book, setting it on her bedside table. A wave of tiredness washed over her and she fell asleep almost instantly, her flowing red dress still hanging on her delicate frame. Maybe tomorrow will be better, she thinks to herself as she drifts off. 


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I hope you all liked the first chapter! I just wanted to clarify some things that I never mentioned. Rei's wonderful sister Sakura is slightly younger than Rei, making Rei the one who would rule as Queen someday. Before Sakura's father married Rei's mother, they lived in a separate kingdom, and Sakura was going to inherit that one before her father married and ruined everything for her. Hope that clears things up! Here's the next one!**

 _Rei awoke to find she was not in her bed. She was surrounded by complete darkness, and deafening silence. Her long dress was ripped to shreds and soaking wet. She slowly sat up and picked the moss out of her hair before getting up, barely able to move from the cold that had settled into her._

 _"Where am I?" she whispered, jumping at the sound of a soft, gentle voice answering her._

 _"Are you alright?" She turned to find a shadowed figure kneeling beside her. She could not see him well, but could make out the tousles in his hair, and his kind blue eyes. He extended his hand to her and she took it, finally finding her voice again._

 _"Who are you?"_

The young princess was brought back to reality by Esther's gentle hand shaking her awake. "Miss Rei?" Rei sat up slowly and looked around the room before locking eyes with her attendant.

"Esther?" she asked, confused, and mildly disappointed. She had hoped she would find out who the man in her dream was before she woke up. The woman nodded and smiled at Rei.

"You seemed so content in your dream, I hated to wake you, but I was asked to. The prince of Earth and his generals are visiting today." Rei nodded and sighed, realizing that everything that had happened the day before was real. She slowly got out of her bed and changed into a simple white dress embroidered with delicate red roses. Esther retreated to the kitchen and brought Rei back a cup of tea and an apple pastry, hoping they might brighten her spirits a little.

"Thank you, Esther" Rei said softly, smiling as she took the tea and pastry.

"You're welcome, Miss. I know the pastries are your favorite, and I thought you could use some cheering up."

"Cheering up?" Rei echoed, turning slightly to look at Esther. "What do you mean?" The woman smiled at Rei as she combed her hair and pinned tiny flowers at the crown of her head.

"You can't fool me, Miss Rei. I know these changes are upsetting to you. Do you remember what I told you yesterday?" Rei sighed and brushed her bangs out of her eyes before answering.

"I'm strong enough to handle them" she murmured, finishing the last bit of her tea and picking at her pastry.

"That's right, my dear. You have a fire burning inside you that is brighter than any other I've ever seen. You're going to be alright." An unexpected voice in the doorway caused both Rei and Esther to jump, nearly making Rei drop her plate.

"It seems you and I actually have something in common" Sakura sneered from the hallway. "I hate it here. But even more than that, I hate you for what you stole from me." Rei's shoulders stiffened and she stood up, turning to face Sakura.

"I stole nothing from you" she said calmly. "To be honest, being Queen has never mattered to me." Before Rei could further explain herself, Sakura interrupted.

"Then you're nothing but a spoiled little princess. I've wanted nothing more in my entire life, and I will never have the chance to get it because of you."

"Sakura, if you want the title that badly…"

"I want nothing from you. Good day, _your majesty_ " she snarled, injecting as much venom into her words as possible. Before Rei could say another word, Sakura disappeared down the hall. Rei stood in her room, shaken by the encounter she had just had. As Sakura stormed out of the palace, Rei could hear the servants whispering in the hallway.

"Sakura is nowhere near as graceful as our Rei."

"She has much to learn before she's ready for that responsibility."

"She may be beautiful on the outside, but inside…" As Rei heard the things the others were saying, she was relieved, and saddened, to find that Sakura was exactly as Rei thought. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at Esther, who had been just as stunned by the encounter as she was. Rei finally spoke, her voice shaking.

"What more can I do?"

"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do" Esther sighed. "Promise me, no matter what happens, you will not let her get to you. This kingdom is yours, and if she wants it that badly, she's going to have to learn some manners" she said with a wink. Rei chuckled softly, nodding in response.

"I suppose I have been a little careless…you know I've never cared about inheriting the kingdom, but if it were to fall into the hands of someone like her, it would be a disaster" Rei whispered, sensing someone listening nearby. Esther nodded in agreement, both women unaware that Sakura had heard everything. She quietly slipped away and ran out to the garden to sulk. As Rei finished getting ready, she suddenly remembered that the prince and his generals were going to be visiting. She had heard many stories about them, and wondered how true they were. A flood of noises within the palace signaled to Rei and Esther that the prince and his generals had arrived. Rei began to shake slightly, her nerves instantly calmed by Esther.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they won't bite" she teased. "Although, I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of them asked for your hand in marriage on the spot" she said with a wink, causing a hot blush to rise to Rei's cheeks.

"Esther!" she giggled. She felt as if a weight lifted off her shoulders, and she smiled. Her dearest friend smoothed out a few loose hairs before getting ready to escort Rei out to meet the Prince and his generals. When they arrived in the corridor, Rei immediately noticed Sakura was nowhere to be found. She shrugged it off and smiled at the five gentlemen before her. The king wrinkled his nose after noticing his daughter's absence, but brushed it off and walked over to Rei.

"Prince Endymion, gentlemen, I would like you to meet my eldest daughter, Rei." One by one, the men approached her, starting with the prince. He knelt before her, taking her delicate hand in his.

"Princess Rei, it is an honor to meet you. I am Prince Endymion of Earth." Rei cringed slightly at being called 'princess', but did her best not to let it show. The prince's generals followed suit, each of them echoing him. Nephrite, the knight of Intettigence and comfort. Zoicite, Knight of Purification and Healing. Kunzite, Knight of Purity and Affection. Last but not least, the final general stepped forward and knelt before Rei, taking her hand. Something felt so familiar about his touch, but she couldn't put a finger on what it was. Her eyes remained locked on him as he spoke.

"Miss Rei, I am Jadeite, knight of Patience and Harmony." She was surprised at his choice to address her the way he did, as were the others.

"Don't be so informal, Jadeite" Kunzite hissed. Rei blushed softly and smiled.

"It's alright…I'm honored to meet all of you." Her voice was barely audible, as she found herself getting lost in Jadeite's features. Everything about him made Rei feel as if she knew him from somewhere…but where? As she racked her brain to think of it, Esther's voice brought her back to reality.

"Your highness?" The king turned to look at her, and his expression drastically changed.

"What is it?" he asked, trying to remain calm.

"It's Sakura…she's gone missing."


	3. Chapter 3

The room filled with a heavy silence at Esther's words. Rei instantly felt that Sakura's disappearance was her fault, seeing how jealous she was of her. Without a word, the raven haired princess quietly stepped out of the room and disappeared down the hall. Jadeite watched her carefully, taking note of which direction she went so he could find her later.

"She's gone?" Henry asked, his stomach in knots. Esther nodded and turned her gaze to the floor.

"I'm afraid so. I went to her bedroom to check on her, and the window was open. She didn't even leave a note as to where she had gone." As the conversation continued, Rei could hear muffled bits and pieces of it from her hiding place. She had gone into the garden, and was nestled in the grass, leaning against her father's headstone.

When she had left the palace, she could feel Jadeite's eyes on her…she could tell they were his without even looking. Right now, it seemed this stranger was the only person besides her beloved Esther who truly seemed to know her. How could this be? They had only just met, hadn't they?" Her mind drifted back to the dream she had the night before, and she shivered slightly as she recounted every detail. The darkness…her fear…the strange man who helped her, and those eyes… _those eyes._ Rei sat up suddenly and gasped, as it had finally hit her. The man in her dream was…

"Miss Rei?" She jumped at the sudden voice and turned, seeing Jadeite standing there looking at her, worried.

"Oh, Sir Jadeite, you scared me" she murmured. He smiled and reached up to brush his blonde bangs from his eyes.

"Please, just call me Jadeite, Miss Rei. I don't care for labels all that much." His words struck a chord with Rei, as she had just told Esther the very same thing not too long ago. She blushed slightly, swallowing the lump in her throat before speaking again.

"My apologies…Jadeite" she said quietly, her lips curling into a shy smile. He smiled back at her before seating himself in the grass next to her. The two of them sat in silence for a few moments, then Rei spoke again. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course, Miss Rei." He smiled as he spoke, never letting his eyes leave her. Rei cleared her throat slightly before she spoke, twisting her hair nervously around her finger.

"Why…why did you choose to address me the way you did?" Jadeite's face immediately flushed and he broke his gaze on her, looking down at the ground. Before he could say anything, she spoke again. "You're the only person who has never called me princess…"

"My apologies…I didn't mean to be so disrespectful…" Rei chuckled slightly and turned to face him directly, leaning in closer, but not too close.

"Please, don't beat yourself up over it. To be honest, I liked it better than princess. Like you said earlier, I don't care for labels…" She could feel herself drawing closer to him, but for some reason, couldn't bring herself to stop. Her lips barely brushed his, when a blood curdling scream startled both of them.

"What was that?" Jadeite asked, jumping to his feet.

"Sakura…" Rei whispered, rising to her feet and running in the direction of the scream. Jadeite followed her closely, and the two of them found themselves at the edge of a rapidly running stream. They heard another cry for help, and Rei noticed Sakura clinging to a tree branch, trying to save herself. Even though this woman hated her, Rei knew she was too kindhearted to let her die. Without thinking, she jumped into the water and swam to Sakura, who was less than grateful to see her.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped.

"Saving your life" Rei shot back, reaching for Sakura. Before she could grab ahold of her, the branch snapped, and Sakura plunged into the water, floating by Rei too fast. Rei frantically chased after her, and Jadeite followed along the riverbank, keeping a close eye on the women. He watched helplessly as the water pushed them faster, heading straight for a waterfall.

"No!" he shouted, wondering if he should go back to the palace for help, or try to find them himself. He decided on the latter, and ran down the hill, relieved that the waterfall hadn't been as dangerous as he feared. He saw Rei and Sakura floating in the calm water and ran to them, pulling them both out and laying them in the grass. He kept a close eye on both of them, praying they would wake up. Finally, after a few moments, Rei stirred, followed by Sakura. Rei slowly turned to her sister, managing a small smile.

"Are you alright?" Sakura evaded her question and scowled at her.

"Why did you save me?" she muttered.

"I couldn't let you die…" Rei said quietly.

"No one would have noticed" Sakura snapped. All they care about is you. Everybody in that palace hates me." Rei had finally reached the breaking point she didn't know she had.

"Well, maybe if you made yourself a little more likeable, they would feel differently" she snapped back, instantly regretting her words.

"So, it's true?"

"N-no…it's not true. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" Before Rei could finish speaking, Sakura was on her feet, running back toward the palace. Rei sat in the grass, stunned, looking to Jadeite for help. He could only shrug in response.

"Just give her time" he said, managing a small smile. Rei nodded and absentmindedly leaned against him, smiling when his arm draped across her shoulders.

"Thank you, Jade…"

"Jade, huh? That's a new one" he chuckled, and Rei blushed.

"If it's too informal, I can call you Jadeite" she said shyly.

"You worry too much, Rei" he said, nudging her softly. She smiled, almost feeling guilty for feeling so comfortable with a man she had only met hours before.

Back at the palace, Sakura stomped in the door, soaked to the bone and angrier than she had ever been. It was time to see the tables turned on perfect Princess Rei, and she knew just how to go about it. She quickly ruffled her hair to make it look more ragged, and added a few rips in her dress to make her story more convincing, or so she hoped. She could hear her father, the prince and the other three generals talking in the throne room, so she took a deep breath before going inside. She limped into the throne room, trying to make herself look as pathetic as she could. King Henry immediately noticed and rushed to her side.

"Sakura! What on earth happened?" Sakura took a deep breath and subtly pinched her thigh hard to make herself tear up.

"Daddy…Rei tried to kill me." Endymion and his three men listened carefully, each of them sensing something off about all this. The only oblivious one was the king.

"What? Why would she do such a thing?" he asked.

"I don't know" Sakura sniffled. "All I've tried to do is get along with her, but she wants nothing to do with me…I think she's jealous of me" she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms. The king continued to console her, while Endymion and the others stepped out of the room.

"Please excuse us, your highness" Endymion said softly before leaving the room. Nephrite, Zoicite and Kunzite followed him and they stepped outside just in time to see Jadeite and Rei walking up to the palace. Endymion and the others approached them to find out what had really happened. After Rei tearfully explained everything, Endymion nodded.

"I knew something was off…" Rei looked at him confused, but before she could ask, he continued speaking. "Sakura told the king you tried to kill her. I knew that couldn't be possible. We all did." The other three men nodded in agreement.

"She's got the king wrapped around her little finger, princess" Nephrite said, looking at Rei with worry in his eyes. "He fully believes her, which could mean trouble for you. It's about time for us to be going back to earth…I wish we didn't have to."

"Come with us" Zoicite said suddenly. "We'll keep you safe from any further tricks she might pull." Rei hesitated for a moment before answering.

"But how will I leave without them knowing?"

"You and Jadeite can go now. We'll cover for him" Kunzite suggested. "I'll be right back." He went inside and asked one of the servants for paper and a pen, then returned to the courtyard, handing them to Rei.

"Write a note for your attendant, and I'll make sure she gets it." Rei nodded and took the paper and pen, quickly scribbling down a note for Esther that simply said 'I'm sorry'. She handed it to Kunzite, who then ushered herself and Jadeite away from the palace.

"We'll meet the two of you back there soon. Now go, before you're caught." Rei nodded and hurried off with Jadeite, who made sure the two of them arrived back at Endymion's palace safely. Rei was instantly swept up by his servants, who bathed and changed her into some clean clothes.

"I'm sorry we don't have anything suitable for a lady such as yourself, but I hope these will suffice until we get your dress cleaned" one of the servants said, handing Rei a pair of black pants and a white tunic. She quickly changed, finding out from the servant that these belonged to Jadeite. After she stepped out of the room, Jadeite smiled at her, cocking his head to the side.

"We only just met today, and you've already given me a nickname and stolen my clothes. if I didn't know better, I'd say we were married or something" he teased, causing Rei to blush. She chuckled and shook her head before pulling her hair back and tying it in place with a silk ribbon.

"Is that all it takes these days?" she said with a giggle, smirking playfully at him. The two of them were escorted to a small dining room to have tea and pastries while they waited for the others to return. Rei immediately noticed the pastries were apple, which made her heart ache slightly.

"Are you alright?" Jadeite asked, noticing the shift in her mood.

"I'm alright…the pastries just remind me of someone" she said softly, thinking of Esther, and hoping she would be able to forgive her.


	4. Chapter 4

Back at the palace, Sakura continued her attempts to ruin Rei's reputation, while her father hung onto her every word. Esther listened quietly from the hallway, wanting desperately to interrupt, but decided not to. She made her way to Rei's room and knocked softly on the door. After receiving no response, she quietly opened the door and felt her heart sink when she saw it was empty. She noticed a piece of paper folded up on Rei's pillow and walked over, shaking as she reached for it. She unfolded it and was barely able to read the words Rei had written due to the tears clouding her vision. What could this mean? She heard footsteps coming down the hallway and quickly folded the note, slipping it into her pocket. She hurried out of the bedroom and closed the door, pretending as though nothing was wrong. She was so rushed, she barely noticed when she bumped into someone.

"Is everything alright, Esther?" The woman looked up, and her face instantly turned pale.

"Your majesty!"

"Is everything alright?" he repeated. Esther nodded, quickly trying to come up with something to tell him.

"Everything's fine…I was just checking on Miss Rei" she lied, loathing herself for it.

"Would you mind if I went in to speak with her?"

"You…can't!" Esther squeaked, backing up against the door. Henry looked at her, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why not?"

"She's asleep. She must be exhausted from everything" she explained, biting her lip.

"I see…would you mind telling me when she's awake? I have some things I need to ask her about" he sighed.

"Of course, your highness" Esther said with a slight nod. The king nodded in response and turned to leave. As soon as he was out of sight, Esther ducked around the corner and pulled the letter out again, sighing. "Please be alright, wherever you are, princess…"

At Endymion's palace, Rei and Jadeite were engaged in conversation, barely noticing that the others had not returned.

"So, you and the other generals are brothers, right?" Rei asked, taking a sip of her tea. Jadeite chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"It would seem that way, but we're not related at all. We all came here to serve Endymion from completely different places" he explained. Rei instantly noticed the way his eyes sparkled when he spoke. The vibrant hues of blue, violet and gray flickered wildly when he was happy, and slowly danced around one another when he was deep in thought, much like he seemed to be now.

"Interesting…" Rei murmured, finding herself drowning in his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time today. "Your families must miss you terribly." She was somewhat surprised when Jadeite shook his head again.

"None of us have family to speak of" he said quietly. "Up until I came to the palace, it was just me…" Rei could feel her heart break in sync with his with every word he spoke, and she wanted nothing more than to take him into her arms and make the pain stop.

"Jade…" she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. He looked up, and when his eyes met hers, he frowned slightly.

"I didn't mean to upset you" he said softly, reaching out to wipe away the tears that had settled on her cheeks.

"You didn't…" she assured him, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry you were alone for so long. Everything got better once you came to the palace, though, didn't it?"

"A little" Jadeite said, his voice laced with a soft chuckle. "I still have days where I can be surrounded by people…"

"And still feel completely alone…" Rei murmured. Jadeite nodded at her, slightly puzzled.

"Exactly…how did you know that?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"It's how I've always felt…" Rei explained, mildly surprised at herself. This was the first time she had admitted this to anyone, and it was the most wonderful feeling! Jadeite reached out to caress her cheek softly, and she instinctively reached up, placing her hand over his. "Until now…" she whispered. Jadeite nodded, his eyes never leaving hers as he slowly leaned in to her.

"That's exactly what I was thinking" he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. A loud noise at the front of the palace caused both of them to jump.

"They're back…" Rei chuckled, grinning slightly. Jadeite smiled back at her and rose from his chair, reaching for her hand. She took it and stood up, and the two of them walked out to greet the others. Kunzite approached the two of them, nearly in a panic.

"What is it?" Jadeite asked, wondering if something had gone wrong in their plan to help Rei.

"There's a slight problem…" Before anyone could ask, Kunzite proceeded to explain; Sakura had seen him sneak into Rei's room with the note, and had approached him after he came back out, threatening to tell her father that they had kidnapped Rei. As Rei listened to the story, she clenched her fists until her knuckles were ghostly white.

"If she does that…it could start a war…"

"Not necessarily. If she tells her father we kidnapped you, right after she told him you tried to kill her, he would surely know something wasn't right. Whatever happens, we will protect you" Jadeite said with a reassuring smile. Rei nodded, sighing heavily.

"I hope you're right…"

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Sakura's tale had taken an unexpected turn. She burst into the throne room and approached Henry, tears staining her cheeks.

"Daddy…Rei isn't here."

"What are you talking about? I spoke to Esther just a little while ago, and she said Rei was in her room."

"She's not there, daddy. She's gone. Did you notice that when the prince and his men left, only three of them were with him?" Henry nodded as Sakura spoke, only now realizing Jadeite hadn't been there when they left.

"Come to think of it, I did notice that…you don't suppose…" Sakura nodded frantically.

"The other one took her…"

"Why would he do that?"

"It was a cover up!" Sakura snapped, instantly realizing what she had done. She quickly regained her composure before speaking again. "After she tried to drown me, he took her away to hide her. They were both in on it." She bit her lip nervously, hoping he would believe her. Before Henry could say anything, Esther burst into the room, her face red with fury.

"Your highness, if I may…Princess Rei would never harm anyone. I know you don't know her all that well, but I do. You have to believe me!" Henry cradled his head in his hands, muttering under his breath before looking up at the two women.

"I need some time to process all of this…please leave at once."

"But daddy!" Sakura protested.

"Out!" he bellowed, pointing toward the door. Esther scurried out of the room, followed by Sakura, who turned to glare at the king before stomping out of the room. She stormed into her room and slammed the door behind her, leaning against it and muttering to herself.

"I have to get rid of her somehow…but how?"

Back at Endymion's palace, Endymion, his men and the princess had just finished their dinner, a feast unlike anything Rei had ever seen, despite growing up in royalty herself. The five men chatted through most of the meal, while she stayed quiet, listening to them. Jadeite placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her, mildly concerned.

"You're awfully quiet…is everything alright?" Rei nodded in response, rising from her chair and bowing her head slightly.

"I think I'm just a little tired, that's all" she said, smiling softly. Endymion looked at her, returning the smile.

"Would you like me to get one of my attendants to show you to your room?" Before Rei could respond, Jadeite was on his feet, standing next to her.

"Allow me" he said quietly, taking her hand and escorting her out of the room. Endymion and the others watched them leave, then looked at one another.

"Jadeite's quite good at playing the 'protective older brother' role, isn't he?" Nephrite asked, smiling.

"I don't think that's quite it" Endymion chuckled, grinning slightly.

Once Jadeite and Rei arrived at her room, she turned to him, smiling shyly.

"Thank you for everything…" As she turned to walk into the bedroom, Jadeite quickly grabbed her hand and she turned to look at him.

"You left something in the tea room" he said quietly.

"What did I leave?" she asked. Seconds later, Jadeite's lips were on hers, which mildly surprised her, but she gladly returned the kiss. She pulled away a moment later, blushing softly. Jadeite smiled at her and reached out to brush her hair out of her face before speaking again.

"Good night, Rei. I hope you sleep well."

"Good night, Jade" she said with a smile, waiting until he left before retreating to her room. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the bed, crawling underneath the large, fluffy blanket and falling asleep almost instantly, dreaming of her blonde haired knight.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Rei awoke feeling more rested than she had been the past few days. As her eyes slowly opened, she took note of her surroundings and panicked slightly before remembering where she was. She slowly sat up, and her eyes focused on the door, where her dress was hanging. She crawled out of the bed and took the dress off the hanger, laying it on the bed while she changed out of the tunic and pants they had lent her. She slipped the dress over her head and fixed her hair in the mirror before venturing out of the room, nearly bumping into Jadeite as she stepped out.

"Good morning, or good afternoon, I should say" he chuckled. "I was just coming to check on you. Everyone was getting worried about you." Rei blushed slightly at his words, brushing a strand of dark hair out of her face before she spoke.

"You were?" she asked softly, embarrassed that she had slept so late. Jadeite nodded in response, extending his hand out to her.

"Are you hungry at all?" he asked. Rei shook her head slightly, causing him to frown. "You need to have something, even if it's something small. What kind of hosts would we be if we let you starve?" he chuckled.

"Alright, if you insist" Rei said quietly, following Jadeite to the small dining room where they had been the day before. He pulled a chair out for her and motioned for her to sit, before he disappeared down the hall. She waited anxiously for him to return, gazing out the window at Earth's beauty while she waited. He returned a moment later with a bowl of berries and a glass of sparkling water.

"It would make me feel better if you ate. I'd feel horrible if you got sick, Rei." How could she say no to that? She smiled at him, then began to slowly eat and sip her water.

"Thank you, Jade. You've all been so kind to me…I almost feel as if I don't deserve it…" She gazed into the bowl sadly, only to have her chin gently lifted up a moment later.

"You're letting your sister get to you…don't let her make you feel this way. She's probably always been this spoiled and selfish. I don't want you thinking it's your fault." He planted a small kiss on her cheek, bringing a smile to her lips. "As long as you're here, she can't do anything to you." Rei nodded in agreement and finished eating, before getting up to take her dishes to the kitchen. Before she could take a step, Jadeite gently took the dishes from her and took them to the kitchen himself. He returned a minute later, running his hand through his hair as he walked back over to Rei.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked, extending his hand out to her. She nodded in response, taking his hand and walking out of the palace.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I want to take you to my favorite place…it's where I go to get away from everything." Rei nodded, watching him intently as they walked. She loved how mysterious he was…when she looked at him, she felt like she knew everything about him, and nothing at all at the same time. He noticed her staring and turned to look at her, startling her back to reality. "You seem lost in thought" he said, giving her a half smile.

"I was just thinking about how beautiful it is here…" she murmured, unable to break her gaze on him. he reached forward to stroke her cheek softly, echoing her sentiments.

"So was I…" he nearly whispered, practically gazing into her soul.

"You see this all the time…" she whispered shakily.

"I certainly hope so" he whispered back, leaning in to kiss her. He pulled away quickly, not wanting to get comfortable with being so forward. Rei felt slightly disappointed that the kiss ended so abruptly. But brushed it off, knowing she couldn't allow things to go further than that anyway. The two of them continued walking until they came upon a sparkling clear blue lake.

"It's beautiful…" Rei whispered. The bodies of water on Mars were nowhere near this perfect. She felt completely at peace here, finding herself wishing she could stay forever. On the far side of the lake, Rei could see two people nestled in the grass. One was Endymion, but the other she didn't recognize. Jadeite noticed her curiosity and answered the questions she was asking in her head.

"The young lady with Endymion is Princess Serenity" he explained. Rei turned to him, a look of disbelief on her face.

"The moon princess? I've heard stories about her…I didn't know they were real…" Jadeite chuckled at Rei's realization and nodded.

"Those two have been seeing one another in secret for a while. Kunzite tried to warn him against it, and so have myself, Nephrite and Zoicite, but he refuses to listen."

"You're not much different than he is, you know…" Rei giggled, immediately wishing she could take back what she said. It was arrogant of her to assume Jadeite was in love with her, especially so quickly. Before she could apologize, his lips were on hers again.

"You're right about that" he said softly. Rei blushed, bringing her fingers up to her lips and smiling.

Back at Rei's former home, Sakura had finally come up with a genius plan to rid herself of Rei once and for all. She emerged from her room and informed one of the servants that she was going for a walk, then left the palace and headed into the forest. Once there, she began to scour the ground for certain herbs, plucking them from the ground and shoving them into small bottles. While she was holed up in her room, she had been reading a book about different plants and herbs, educating herself about which ones were safe to ingest and which ones weren't, in case she managed to get herself lost again. After a while, she felt satisfied with her findings and stuffed the bottles in her pockets before heading back to the palace. Once inside, she began to search for Esther. She found her in the kitchen and approached her, smiling sweetly.

"May I ask you for a favor?" Esther turned to the woman, shocked at how pleasant she was being. She decided to take advantage of this, and smiled at Sakura.

"What is it, dear?"

"I know where Rei is…I feel badly for causing her so much trouble, and I wanted to make her something to apologize for my behavior. Can you help me?" Esther listened to the woman, feeling like she should believe her.

"Of course…I know just the thing." She pulled out the recipe for her apple pastries, gathered the ingredients, and turned to Sakura. "Do you need my help putting them together?" The woman brushed her red hair from her face and shook her head.

"I think I can figure it out." With a slight nod, Esther left the kitchen, leaving Sakura alone. Sakura quickly put the pastries together, adding in small flecks of the plants she had gathered, making sure they weren't noticeable. While the pastries baked, she cleaned up everything, disposing of the evidence that would prove she was up to no good. After they baked and cooled, Sakura admired her work, deciding she would deliver them in the middle of the night, so she wouldn't get caught. To seem less suspicious, she decided to make another batch that weren't tainted, hiding the poisoned ones in her room. She almost felt guilty for what she was going to do, but her desire to be queen far outweighed her conscience. As soon as everyone was asleep, she set out, arriving at the prince's palace and settting the basket on the steps, hurrying away before anyone noticed her.

Rei and Jadeite had become so caught up in their conversation, they barely noticed when the sun began to set. It was only after a cool breeze blew through her hair and sent a shiver throughout her body that Rei noticed the change in brightness.

"It got dark fast…" she giggled, standing up. Jadeite followed suit and the two of them walked back to the palace together. When they arrived, they noticed a basket sitting in front of the door with a red ribbon around the handle and a note attached. Rei curiously approached it and picked it up, unfolding the note and reading it.

"Where did these come from?" Jadeite asked. Rei finished reading the note and looked up at him.

"They're from Sakura…she sent them as a peace offering" she said, smiling. It seemed her sister wasn't so cold hearted, after all. She picked up the basket and carried it inside, setting it in the kitchen. Moments later, dinner was served. After everyone ate, Rei went into the kitchen to get herself a pastry. While she was gone, Jadeite quickly told the others how suspicious he thought they were, and the others agreed. Rei returned a moment later, taking her seat at the table with a cup of tea and a pastry. Jadeite kept half an eye on her in case something went wrong, trying to act as normal as possible. After she finished, she began to feel extremely tired. She excused herself and stood up, stumbling a bit as she walked out of the room. Jadeite quietly followed her, waiting until she went into her room before checking on her. A few moments after her door shut, he quietly crept over and opened it, finding that Rei hadn't even made it to her bed before passing out. He hurried over to her and picked her up, placing her on the bed. She was still warm, and still breathing, but she wouldn't wake up, no matter what he tried. He frantically called for Endymion and the others, who raced to her room as fast as they could.

"What on earth happened?!"


	6. Chapter 6

Jadeite looked toward the doorway in a panic, unable to move from Rei's side.

"I-I don't know…I followed her because something seemed off, and I found her in here like this." Endymion walked into the room and brushed his fingertips against her cheek, causing a jealous spark to flare up inside Jadeite. He quickly brushed it off and looked up at his prince. "What do you think happened?" Endymion thought for a moment, then called for the other three generals. They came as quickly as they could, gasping when they saw the scene before them.

"What happened?" Nephrite asked, walking closer to the bed. The other two followed, and upon closer inspection, Zoicite was able to pinpoint the cause.

"She's been poisoned…but how?" The men thought for a moment, when a sudden vocalization from Jadeite caused them all to look at him.

"The pastries…" he murmured.

"What are you talking about?" Endymion asked. Jadeite frowned slightly and looked at him.

"When Rei and I returned from our walk earlier, there was a basket sitting on the palace steps with a note addressed to her…" Before he could continue explaining, Endymion nodded.

"I remember now…the note was from her sister, right? Wanting to make amends?" Jadeite nodded, silently cursing himself for trusting the red haired witch so easily.

"Yes…it was all a trick. She never wanted to fix anything" Jadeite sighed, looking over at Rei and blinking back tears. Endymion stood up suddenly, his face stern.

"We have to confront her. She can't get away with this." Zoicite, Nephrite and Kunzite nodded in agreement, while Jadeite stayed silent. "Jadeite? Did you hear me?"

"I heard you" he muttered. "You four go, and I'll stay with Rei."

"Why won't you come?" Zoicite asked. Jadeite finally turned his eyes from the sleeping princess, their brilliant hues flickering more intensely than the others had ever seen.

"I was told to never harm a lady, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to restrain myself if I saw her" he sighed, his voice laced with a light chuckle.

"Very well, then. We'll take care of it." Endymion and the others left the room to prepare to leave, leaving Jadeite and Rei alone. He ran his finders through her long raven hair and sighed, feeling a tear slip down his cheek.

"You used to blush when I did that" he said softly, nestling his head into the pillow next to her. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." He was unable to stop the tears now, and eventually cried himself to sleep. Kunzite crept back to the room one last time before they left, sighing when he saw the two of them.

Meanwhile, back at Rei's palace, Sakura had returned and was hiding out, slightly shaken from what she had just done. However, she felt no remorse. She began to imagine herself as queen and smiled, knowing that now, she would surely get what she wanted. A sudden voice behind her startled her and she tensed up, turning to find Esther standing nearby.

"Everyone's been looking for you. Where have you been?" Sakura quickly tried to think of a convincing story and smiled sweetly at the woman.

"I went out for a while. I'm sorry to have worried you." Esther was surprised by the shift in her usually salty attitude, but decided not to question it.

"I see. I'm glad you made it back safely." Esther started to turn away and Sakura relaxed a bit, tensing up again when the woman turned to face her once more. "By the way, how did the pastries turn out?"

"Pastries? Oh…right. They were perfect" Sakura said with a smile. She knew she didn't sound a bit convincing, but she hoped Esther wouldn't notice.

"I'm glad. I was hoping to try one, but I couldn't find them anywhere. Did you leave any behind when you took them to your sister?" Sakura shook her head, keeping the smile on her face.

"No, I didn't. I gave them all to Rei."

"How nice" Esther said with a smile before turning to leave. Once Sakura was alone, she breathed a sigh of relief, elated that her evil deed had not been found out…then, it dawned on her. If Rei ate one of those, the prince or one of his men would know something wasn't right. To make matters worse, they might come to ask her about what had happened! She began to panic, trying to think of a way to keep herself out of trouble…at least for now. She decided the only way to avoid her inevitable fate was to run from it. She quietly slipped out the back entrance and ran for the woods as fast as her feet would take her, knowing no one would think to look for her there.

An unexpected knock at the door sent the palace into a state of confusion. They weren't expecting anyone…who could be here? Esther scrambled to open the door, mildly shocked to see Endymion and three of his men standing on the other side. She ushered them inside, then went to inform the king and queen of their sudden arrival. Endymion and the others followed her, bringing a very serious aura into the throne room. The king spoke, while Rei's mother watched quietly.

"Prince Endymion? I'm surprised to see you back so soon. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Endymion looked at him, his eyes flickering intensely.

"I wouldn't call it pleasure, your majesty. There's a slight problem…"

"Well, what is it?" Henry snapped, somewhat annoyed by Endymion's vagueness.

"It's Rei…" Endymion nearly whispered, dreading the next words that would come out of his mouth. "She…might be dead." Henry sat up, feeling his entire body go rigid.

"What do you mean she 'might be'?" he demanded. "Either she is, or she isn't. Which is it?" The queen put a hand on his shoulder in an effort to calm him, having no luck. "Tell me!"

"You see…we were all having tea at the palace, and she had a pastry from a basket that was left for her. Soon after that, she went to her room, and Jadeite found her slumped over on the bed…" As Esther listened to Endymion speak, she felt like her heart could break at any moment. Sakura couldn't have hurt her…could she have? The woman quietly slipped away and retreated to the kitchen to search for evidence. She immediately searched the trash bin, finding tiny glass vials with remnants of some sort of plant in them. Being careful not to ingest any of them, she took them back to the throne room and waited, listening as each of the men gave the king all the information they knew.

"Are you saying my daughter tried to kill her?" he asked, offended by their accusations. "I raised her to be a lady, not some murderous monster!" Before he could go on, Esther timidly stepped forward and spoke.

"Your majesty, if I may…you should know, Sakura did ask me how to make the pastries that Rei likes. And…I found these in the trash." She held the bottles out, and was immediately approached by Zoicite.

"May I?" he asked softly, reaching for the bottles. Esther nodded and handed them to him, and he began to inspect them, sniffing each one and nodding.

"I was right…the pastries were tainted. How…how can this be reversed? Or can it?"

"I'm afraid I don't know…Sakura might. Let me see if I can find her" Esther said, bowing slightly before turning to leave the room. She walked to Sakura's room and knocked softly on the door. After receiving no response, she opened the door, finding the room empty. On the bed, there was a book with specific pages marked. Esther walked to the book and picked it up, finding another piece of evidence that Sakura was the culprit. She took the book out of the bedroom and took it to the king, in case he wanted further proof.

"Did you find her?" Henry asked upon seeing Esther enter the room again. She shook her head, approaching the king and handing him the book.

"I'll continue looking for her, but in the meantime, you might want to take a look at this. I found it in her bedroom." Henry took the book and flipped through the marked pages, feeling sicker with every passing moment.

"It was her…she must be found, and reprimanded immediately!" he commanded. Esther nodded and silently left the room to continue searching for the young princess. Henry took a deep breath and looked up at the prince, smiling slightly. "Thank you for letting me know. And thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"We will continue to do so" Endymion assured him. "I promise, she will be saved."

Jadeite finally awoke and stood up, gazing down at Rei, hoping she had woken up. He frowned slightly and left the room, examining his puffy, bloodshot eyes in the mirror before leaving the room. He walked to the kitchen and poured a large glass of wine, drinking it down in one gulp. His eyes fell on the pastries and he bit his lip, once again swarmed with guilt for letting Rei eat one of them. He took one out of the basket and looked at it, quickly setting it back down.

"Don't even think about it…you can't save her if you're dead too" he muttered. After thinking for a moment longer, he picked it up again, realizing that he couldn't bear living without her. He took a bite and swallowed it, succumbing to the effects of the poison rather quickly. He fell to the floor and everything instantly went dark.

After returning home, Endymion went to Rei's room to check on them, though he was mostly there for Jadeite at this point, knowing how Rei would be. When he didn't see him, he began to search the palace for him, excited to tell him that they had figured out Sakura was behind all this. He approached the kitchen and called out, growing worried.

"Jade?" He stepped inside the kitchen, feeling his heart sink when he saw his friend sprawled out on the floor. "Damn it…not you too!" He turned to leave the kitchen and find the others to alert them.


	7. Chapter 7

Endymion hurried down the hall, nearly bumping into Kunzite. "What's wrong?" Kunzite asked, concerned about his orince's sudden change in mood.

"It's Jadeite…he ate one of the pastries. Can you help me move him?" Kunzite nodded and followed Endymion back to the kitchen, feeling his heart drop when he saw his fellow general lying lifeless on the floor. The two men carried him to Rei's bedroom and laid him beside her, knowing he would throw a fit if he were to wake up anywhere else…if either of them woke up at all. Endymion looked at Kunzite, worried.

"What do we do?" he asked.

"There's only one thing I can think of. We'll have to go back to Mars and confront Sakura ourselves." Endymion nodded in agreement, giving Rei and Jadeite one more sorrowful glance before exiting the room. After the men readied themselves, they headed for Rei's palace, hoping they would return home with good news, or more preferably, a cure for the poison. They arrived at their destination in no time at all, and began to walk toward the palace.

In her bedroom, Sakura was frantic. She knew what she had done was wrong, but she didn't know how to fix it. Maybe, she thought, Rei hadn't touched them…maybe there was still time. She decided she would go back to earth once everyone was asleep, and try to make things right. She stayed hidden away from everyone until she couldn't hear any more noise in the palace, signaling that everyone had gone to bed. She pulled on her hooded cloak and crept out of the palace, nearly running into someone on her way out.

"I'm sorry…" she said timidly. She looked up into the face of the person standing before her, and instantly turned pale. "Prince Endymion…"

"Just the princess we need to speak to" Endymion said coldly, in no mood to be cordial to this woman after what she had done. "Come with us." Sakura shakily walked with the two men back to the teleportation spot, and soon landed on earth. The walk back to Endymion's palace was dead silent, and incredibly awkward.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling. Endymion and Kunzite said nothing until they arrived at Rei's bedroom and pointed to the lifeless princess and her knight.

"Why don't you tell us?" Kunzite growled. Sakura was speechless. She slowly approached the bed and reached out to graze Rei's hand, breathing a sigh of relief when she felt it was still warm. However, this didn't change what she had done.

"I'm so sorry, Rei…" she whispered, falling to her knees and bursting into tears. Endymion and Kunzite looked at one another, then gingerly approached the young woman.

"It's clear you feel remorse for what you've done…can you tell us how to reverse this?" Endymion asked, his voice much calmer than the last time he spoke. Sakura sniffled and rose to her feet, shaking her head.

"I'm not really sure…I have a book at home that might tell me…will you allow me to go get it?"

"I'll go with you" Kunzite said, eyeing the woman suspiciously. "I want to make sure you won't run off and leave them like this." Sakura nodded timidly and sighed, looking down at her feet.

"I understand…we'll have to go soon, before my parents wake up."

"We'll go now" Kunzite commanded, turning to leave the room. Sakura quickly followed him, and the two of them traveled back to Mars, once again in complete silence. Endymion kept watch over Rei and Jadeite until he noticed the sun streaming in through the window. He perked up suddenly, remembering that his beloved Serenity would be visiting today. His mood suddenly diminished as he laid eys on his fallen friends once again. Maybe he should tell her not to come…A soft knock at the door startled him and he turned to see one of his servants in the doorway.

"Your highness, Princess Serenity is here." Endymion nodded and rose to his feet, following the woman out to the atrium. He approached the princess and pulled her into his arms, too overcome with emotion from the previous day's events to speak.

"What's wrong?" Serenity asked softly, pulling back to look at him. Endymion explained everything to her, and she nodded as he spoke, hanging on his every word.

"Kunzite and Rei's sister are on their way to get the book now…hopefully we can fix this before it's too late." Serenity nodded and reached out to him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it lightly.

"Take me to them…maybe I can help." She pulled at a silver chain around her neck, revealing her mother's silver crystal hanging on the end of it. "My mother has been teaching me how to use her crystal…I may be able to heal them."

Sakura and Kunzite quietly approached the palace, making a beeline for Sakura's bedroom as soon as they were inside. Kunzite waited in the hall while Sakura went in to get the book. Not even a minute later, she came back to Kunzite, her face pale.

"The book is gone…" she murmured.

"What?!"

"It's gone…I don't know where it could be…"

"Damn it" Kunzite muttered. "What do we do, then?" Before Sakura could answer, she heard a voice call out to her from down the hall, and she froze.

"Sakura? Is that you?" It was Esther. The woman approached Sakura and Kunzite, looking at him curiously. "Master Kunzite? What are you doing here?"

"I can explain…" Sakura said timidly, looking back at the general for support. He gave her a nod and she turned back toward Esther, tearfully explaining everything.

"We know..i found the book in your room" Esther said quietly, unable to look Sakura in the eyes. "How could you do such a thing?"

"I don't know" Sakura whispered shakily. "I'm so sorry…" Without another word, Esther turned to leave, leaving Sakura and Kunzite in the hall.

"I guess we should go back…there's nothing we can do" he said numbly, walking toward the exit. Sakura started to follow, but stopped.

"I shouldn't go…if they're revived, they won't want to see me."

"That's not true" Kunzite assured her. "All Rei has wanted was to get along with you…I'm sure that hasn't changed. She loves you."

"She does?" Sakura asked, shocked.

"Yes, she does. Now, let's go…we have to find a way to save them before it's too late."

Endymion and Serenity stood at Rei's bedside, gazing down at the fiery princess and her unexpected lover. Serenity shakily held the crystal over them, praying it would heal them. The crystal began to glow, showering a warm, silvery light over Rei and Jadeite. After several moments, Serenity could feel herself growing weak, but she refused to give up. Kunzite and Sakura, who had just arrived, quietly stepped into the room and watched the scene before them. After a moment, the crystal stopped glowing, and Rei and Jadeite remained motionless on the bed.

"Did it work?" Endymion wondered aloud. Everyone's eyes were fixed on them, watching…waiting. After what seemed like forever, Jadeite slowly began to stir. The others silently celebrated, but were still anxiously waiting for Rei to wake up as well. Jadeite slowly sat up and looked around, finally settling his eyes on Rei. He reached forward to stroke her hair, hoping it would cause her to stir, and sighed when nothing happened.

"Rei…" he murmured. He slowly leaned into her and sighed, nuzzling his face into her neck. After some time, he lifted his head, and planted a small kiss on her lips, as if to say goodbye. He turned away from her and sighed, unable to look anyone else in the eyes. As tears began to roll down his cheeks, he jumped slightly at the sudden feel of a hand on his back. He turned to see Rei groggily staring up at him, and he smiled.

"Jade…" she whispered. Everyone felt the darkness disappear from the room, and they smiled. Endymion stood by the bed with Serenity, smiling at the two of them. When Rei saw her, she gasped.

"You're…" The young woman nodded in response, smiling softly at her. "I thought the stories about you were just that…"

"No, not at all" Serenity chuckled. "When Endymion told me what happened to the two of you, I had to help somehow…I'm glad you're alright." Something about this girl felt familiar to Rei…she felt as though they had met somewhere before.

"Thank you…" Rei murmured, sitting up weakly and brushing the hair out of her eyes. Serenity smiled again and silently walked out of the room, followed by Endymion and everyone else. Sakura was the last to leave, feeling she needed to make amends before she did so.

"I'm so sorry, Rei…I know I don't deserve forgiveness after what I did, or for anything else, either." The red haired woman started to leave, but Rei suddenly speaking stopped her in her tracks.

"Sakura…" She turned to face Rei, blinking back tears. "I do forgive you. I love you." Sakura walked toward the bed and embraced Rei, happy that this nightmare had finally come to an end. After talking a while longer, she said her goodbyes and left, leaving Rei and Jadeite alone. He pulled her into his lap and stroked her hair, not saying anything for a while.

"I love you, Rei…" he finally murmured. She looked up at him, somewhat shocked at how abruptly he had said that.

"I love you too…I have from the first moment we met" she whispered, unable to look away from him. He lowered his head to kiss her, feeling as though the two of them were the only two people in the world in that moment. He finally pulled away and smiled at her.

"As did I, Princess" he said, winking playfully. The two of them got up and decided to find something to eat, feeling totally invincible, like nothing could ever come between them again.

Sakura returned to her home, relieved that everything was as it should be. As she neared the door of the palace, a voice behind her startled her. She turned, looking at the person curiously.

"Excuse me, Miss, is this were I might find Princess Rei?"


End file.
